12.30.08
Links 30/12/2008: New Fedora Board, AMD Docs, Debian Developer Dies in Accident
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GNU/Linux
- AMD Releases Open-Source R600/700 3D Code
Since earlier this year we have been waiting for AMD to release documentation and/or code on the ATI R600 series concerning 3D acceleration so that the open-source Linux drivers can begin to support the newer ATI graphics processors. It has taken longer than expected for AMD to complete and release this information, but it’s now available. AMD has released the fundamental Linux code needed to begin fostering the development of an open-source R600 3D driver. Furthermore, this code also concerns the latest R700 series of graphics processors! The microcode for the newest GPUs has also been released.
- We already had the year of the Linux desktop
- Hats Off Strangers! The Fedora Board Arrives
Though it has been nearly two months, it seems as though it was just a few days ago that we reported the beginning of the Fedora Project’s election season. Seemingly as soon as it began it has concluded, and the newly elected to the Fedora Project Board, as well as the Ambassadors and Engineering Steering Committees, have been announced.
- The Blue Screen of Megadeath?
Around this time last year, we reported on the U.S. Army’s efforts to build a state-of-the-art — state-of-the-future, really — system to control everything from communication to unmanned drones to missile launches, and to use Linux to do it. The project’s designers were quoted as specifically saying they rejected Windows because they didn’t want to be beholden to Microsoft — apparently the thought of having missiles bricked by Windows Genuine Advantage mid-combat didn’t go over so well.
- Gurlz Just Wanna Be Geex
- Another reason to love Linux: SiCortex offers high-performance computing in an astonishingly energy-efficient format
- The Linux Robot - Progress, Software & a Video
- Enterprise Linux 2008: The year in review
Whether between competing distributions and vendors or with that big Redmond, Wash., company the Linux wars were great spectator sport for open source devotees in 2008. Virtualization and the cloud were hot topics, with rollouts from the major players like Red Hat. Novell and Ubuntu throughout the year.
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KDE
- From the Post 2.0.0 Git Vaults, Part 2, “The Playlist - Evolved”
- Thoughts on KDE4
I think KDE4 has the potential to be really good in about 6 months time, and I’d certainly recommend it to anyone coming to Linux from Windows. I also think both Mandriva and Kubuntu have taken KDE in interesting (but very different) directions, and I find myself wanting to see how other distros have implemented it now.
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Distributions
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Sub-notebooks
- MSI Wind
First thing I did was remove FreeDOS and a hidden partition containing Windows XP (possibly used for demo purposes by the shop’s technician - no, i didn’t get it sealed). I am, however, disappointed to discover that U100LX didn’t come with Open SUSE (as advertised on other websites). So I did what’s best for my new box - install Ubuntu Intrepid via a Unetbootin created USB Installer.
- 12 handy tips for your new Linux netbook
Quake III, the classic shooter, has a Linux port which runs surprisingly well on a netbook.
- Linux4one Ubuntu for the Acer Aspire One
Linux4one - a modified Ubuntu - offers a good alternative for Linplus.
- The Future Of The Netbook?
- MSI Wind
F/OSS
Digital Tipping Point: Clip of the Day
Digital Tipping Point: Marcelo Marques, visionary security networks entrepreneur 02 (2004)
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Highlight: Novell was the first to acknowledge that Microsoft FUD tactics had substance. Novell then used anti-Linux FUD to market itself.
Highlight: Xandros let Microsoft make patent claims and brag about (paid-for) OOXML support.
Highlight: Linspire's CEO not only fell into Microsoft arms, but he also assisted the company's attack on GNU/Linux.
Highlight: Microsoft craves pseudo (proprietary) standards and gets its way using proxies and influence which it buys.
Highlight: The invasion into the open source world is intended to leave Linux companies neglected, due to financial incentives from Microsoft.
Analysis: Xen, an open source hypervisor, possibly fell victim to Microsoft's aggressive (and stealthy) acquisition-by-proxy strategy.